Smart Home Shopping

When shopping for a home, there are quite a few things that can snatch your attention.  When you look at a home, it’s very easy to fall immediately in love with it.  New homes are clean, decorated perfectly, and many are what you pictured in your dreams.  If you don’t shop the smart way though, you can end find yourself discovering faults shortly after you move in.

Check and see if you can fit your furniture in the way you want.  A lot of homes are configured so that furniture will only fit in one position.  This can leave a television or couch in a weird location.  And, sometimes your furniture may not be able to make it through the doorways.    

Be sure to get the right home for yourself and your family – now and later.  Even though you may be a young couple now, a house with enough room to grow can save frustrations down the road.   

Research any extras as well.  Things like a pool and a hot tub may be a great asset to have, although know the amount of money that regular maintenance will cost, so you can plan ahead. 

Location. Location. Location. This is perhaps the number one factor to consider.  While you may find the perfect home in every manner, if it backs up to an industrial plant or is in a neighborhood with no other children for your children to play with- there is no fixing these problems. 

Janus Real Estate Group    *    Heather Anderson     *    972-765-3773

First Day for New Dallas Mayor Dwaine Caraway

Today marked the first day as Mayor of Dallas for Dwaine Caraway. Caraway replaced former mayor, Tom Leppert.

Off to a busy first day, the new mayor of Dallas spent the day in an Economic Development meeting, at an event for Black History month, and then flew to Austin to present Dallas' legislative agenda at a legislative event.

Janus Real Estate Group    *    Heather Anderson     *    972-765-3773

Your Janus Real Estate Team

Janus Real Estate Group    *    Heather Anderson     *    972-765-3773

President George Bush Turnpike Expansion Updates

Expanisions have been in the works on the President George Bush Turnpike for several years now. This month, there was an update meeting to report on progress and forthcoming plans.

The Eastern expansion is on target to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2011. This expansion extends the PGBT to Interstate 30.  For more detailed information on the progress, there is a quarterly report:

President George Bush Turnpike Expansion

Janus Real Estate Group    *    Heather Anderson     *    972-765-3773

Removing Pet Odors While Selling Your Home

Air your house out. While you’re cleaning, throw open all the windows in your home to allow fresh air to circulate and sweep out unpleasant scents.  Once your house is free of pet odors, do what you can to keep the smells from returning. Crate your dog when you're out or keep it outdoors. Limit the cat to one floor or room, if possible. Remove or replace pet bedding.

Scrub thoroughly. Scrub bare floors and walls soiled by pets with vinegar, wood floor cleaner, or an odor-neutralizing product.  Try a 1:9 bleach-to-water solution on surfaces it won’t damage, like cement floors or walls.

Wash your drapes and upholstery. Pet odors seep into fabrics. Launder, steam clean, or dry clean all your fabric window coverings. Steam clean upholstered furniture.  Either buy a steam cleaner designed to remove pet hair for around $200 and do the job yourself, or pay a pro. You'll spend about $40 for an upholstered chair, $100 for a sofa, and $7 for each dining room chair if a pro does your cleaning.

Relocate pets. If your dog or cat has a best friend it can stay with while you're selling your home (and you can stand to be separated from your pet), consider sending your pet on a temporary vacation. If pets have to stay, remove them from the house for showings and put away their dishes, towels, and toys.

~HouseLogic

Janus Real Estate Group    *    Heather Anderson     *    972-765-3773